Wednesday, June 13, 2007

With Malice Toward None

My denomination, the PCA, is holding its annual General Assembly this week. Later today the PCA Study Committee report on the Federal Vision/Auburn Avenue Theology and New Perspective on Paul will be presented.

For those still trying to catch up on the debate, here are some last minute links:

Those with a keen eye will find my name (humbly) added to the latter document.

Not that I am anybody, but I have followed the Federal Vision issue since the first conference held at Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church in Monroe, LA. At first the negative reaction and controversy surrounding it seemed like a tempest in a teapot. I sympathized then, and still do so now, with some of the concerns raised by those in the Federal Vision camp.

However, after reading the papers presented at the Knox Colloquiam (back before they were published in a book and available online), and continuing to try to read and follow the various arguments back and forth, I have come to be convinced that the Federal Vision theology is inconsistent with our doctrinal standards. More specifically, I believe the concerns expressed by Federal Vision advocates (such things as emphasis on covenant, the sacraments, the necessity of good works, and others) are well addressed by our historic doctrines as expressed in the Westminster Standards, and need no revision.

As my title indicates, I harbor no malice toward those in the Federal Vision camp, but respectfully believe that their doctrines do not fit in with the doctrines of the PCA. Their beliefs fit in better elsewhere.

I am not able to attend the General Assembly this year, but will follow the news with interest, and hope to catch the discussion and debate on the Study Committee Report on the GA webcast.

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Posted by Martin at 12:11 AM | | Comments

Thursday, April 26, 2007

PCA Committee Report on Federal Vision, New Perspective

The PCA study committee commissioned by last year's General Assembly to study and write a report on the Federal Vision (aka Auburn Avenue) Theology and New Perspective on Paul has released its report. The committee comes to nine conclusions and five recommendations that it is asking this year's General Assembly to adopt.

I've seen some less than enthusiastic reaction to the report among some in the blogosphere who are opponents of FV and NPP. These folks view the report as not strong enough in its language or proposals. Overall, though, I think the committee did a fine job.

There are a few things worth remembering:
  • Committees don't judge cases. The committee was commissioned to study FV and NPP and give its recommendations to GA. This they have done.
  • Ultimately it is up to each presbytery to handle judicial cases - if necessary - in regard to teaching elders who hold to FV or NPP doctrines. And it is up to each session to do so in regard to ruling elders.
  • More than that, though, I believe the report (assuming it is adopted essentially as is by GA) calls on TE's and RE's to be faithful to their vows. In particular, men are required to have the good conscience to report themselves if they find they have adopted views out of accord with the Westminster Standards. Again assuming the report is adopted, it will be the "official" statement of the PCA regarding FV and NPP, and as such, any men who hold to these views in the PCA will be honor bound to report themselves. I believe the committee's report is giving them this opportunity. Also, elders vow to uphold the peace and purity of the church. To report themselves, and to submit to the correction or discipline required by session or presbytery, is to uphold the peace and purity of the church. For some (or perhaps many; I hope not) this may mean they will need to leave the PCA peaceably.

This kind of scenario and outcome probably doesn't satisfy the more rabid folks who are looking for red meat. But it is presbyterian. God forbid that it should be so, but given our sinful nature I don't doubt that there will be FV/NPP adherents who refuse to submit, messy trials will then result, and they may have to be forced out of the PCA. That may satisfy the rabid folks. But it shouldn't.

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Posted by Martin at 7:06 AM | | Comments

Thursday, February 01, 2007

What is faith?

Dr. Scott Clark over at The Heidelblog has a very, very, very, very, very, very important post on faith and how seriously the Federal Vision theology gets it wrong.

Read it.

Don't have time? Make time.

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Posted by Martin at 11:11 AM | | Comments

Monday, January 29, 2007

Louisiana Presbytery Decision on Steve Wilkins

For those who are searching...

Louisiana Presbytery of the PCA recently posted the following on its web site:


On January 20, 2007, Louisiana Presbytery, exercising its authority and prerogative under BCO 31-2, passed the following motion pertaining to TE Steve Wilkins:

"Louisiana Presbytery, after thorough examination and investigation of TE Steve Wilkins as per the SJC directives regarding allegations made in the Central Carolina Presbytery Memorial, finds no strong presumption of guilt in any of the charges contained therein and exercises its prerogative not to institute process regarding those allegations." [Clerk's note: See BCO 31-2.]

"Grounds: See the written exam and oral exam of TE Steve Wilkins on December 9, 2006."

Personally I am not surprised by this decision, though admit I am disappointed.

I have no idea where this controversy will go from here, but will be surprised if it isn't a major issue at our General Assembly later this year.

I may write more later, but one quick thought: I don't understand why people whose views are (it seems to me) clearly out of alignment with historical Presbyterian doctrine would want to stay in a Presbyterian denomination. Why not leave peaceably? The PCA has no claim on their property. Why prolong the controversy, and how does doing so conform with the vow all elders take to uphold the peace and purity of the church? Baffling...




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Posted by Martin at 7:30 AM | | Comments

Monday, January 08, 2007

PCA and Steve Wilkins Update

I seem to get a lot of search hits related to Pastor Steve Wilkins and the investigation into his doctrine by the PCA. Here are a couple updates for readers to look into:

Steve Wilkins' response to questions raised,

An analysis of that response.

When the first Auburn Avenue conference was held and there was an initial flurry of reaction to it, the whole thing struck me as a tempest in a teapot. It seemed like people were talking past each other, and that critics were finding error where none was intended.

However, when the second conference was held it became clear that there was significant error, and my conviction that it is error has only increased as I've continued to follow the controversy. I read all the papers presented at the Knox Seminary colloquiam, and have read much (but certainly not all) of what has been written since.

What bothers me about this are two things. One is that, while I am very sympathetic to many of the concerns raised by the Federal Vision people I wish they could see that the answers to their questions are in our Reformed confessions and creeds already. Reformed theology already addresses their concerns, and doesn't need to be changed. This leads to the second concern, that in trying to "reform" Reformed theology they have changed it into something which it is not, and have created a theological system that is - in my very humble opinion - anti-biblical.

In addition, I am baffled that people who believe something different than what the Westminster Standards teach would want to continue to maintain that they are faithful to that teaching, and remain in a denomination that holds to those standards. But then I remember my church history, and that this seems to be the consistent M.O. of those who teach error. They try to argue that they are orthodox, outwardly affirm their agreement with creeds or confessions of faith, and then teach that which is contrary to those standards.

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Posted by Martin at 7:32 AM | | Comments

Saturday, November 11, 2006

PCA Standing Judicial Commission & Steve Wilkins

The Standing Judicial Commission of the PCA has responded to a request (formally a "memorial") from Central Carolina Presbytery to take action relative to Louisiana Presbytery's investigation of the teaching of Pastor Steve Wilkins of Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church in Monroe, LA.

Those of you who have been following and/or concerned about the "Auburn Avenue" or "Federal Vision" theology will understand what Central Carolina's request was all about. Many of us in the PCA see this teaching as inconsistent with Presbyterian doctrine in particular, and ultimately with the Evangelical doctrine of justification that came out of the Protestant Reformation.

While the SJC response doesn't take immediate action, it does move things in the right direction. Hopefully this will be resolved soon, as it is important that the PCA take a definitive stand on this issue.

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Posted by Martin at 1:10 PM | | Comments

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Get a Good Burn Going

When I was about 9 or 10 (I remember it being in third grade), my family switched from the Pentecostal church my dad had grown up in to a Presbyterian church. Except for a couple brief stints I've been attending Presbyterian churches ever since.

I remember that our church hosted a Korean Presbyterian congregation that used the sanctuary after our morning service. About once a year we would hold a joint worship service. Our pastor would preach and the Korean pastor would translate. Our pastor was a learned, erudite and proper man from Back East, and he spoke with a certain dignified manner. When the Korean pastor translated, I often wondered if they were preaching the same sermon. The Korean pastor was much more animated.

Tuesday I got to hear a Korean pastor preach a whole sermon on his own, mostly in English but there were parts that he gave in Korean, presumably reinforcing his points for the benefit of the primarily Korean speakers in the audience.

The occasion was a joint meeting of three presbyteries of the PCA: South Coast (of which my church is a member), Pacific, and the Korean Southwest Presbytery. I'd been looking forward to it for several months. We don't often have the opportunity to get together for worship and fellowship with members of our broader church. This is unfortunate, not the least because one of the hallmarks of presbyterianism is supposed to be our connectedness with each other. We talk a lot about being connected. We don't do it very well.

But Tuesday we made an effort, and it was a good one overall. I got to see some friends I don't see very often, members of both the Pacific and Korean Southwest presbyteries, and meet new friends. I hope we do it again.

I hope we do it again not just for the friendship (and the food!). I hope we do it again so we can hear preaching like I heard Tuesday morning. It wasn't so much that the sermon was theologically deep or technical. It was full of truth and expressed the power and wonder of God's loving work for us poor sinners. The pastor spoke with a passion that communicated how deeply he believed what he was preaching. As I listened I felt like the disciples left sitting at a table in the village of Emmaus, less one Companion who had expounded the Scriptures to them on the way there:

My heart burned within me.

It was a good burn.

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Posted by Martin at 11:41 PM | | Comments

About me

  • Martin
  • From Orange, CA
  • Husband; Father; Son; Brother. Ruling elder at church. Loan Officer for Christian lending institution. Seminary student. I hope to be a pastor and plant a church in the near future.
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